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Exercises

Back exercises for seniors: rows, pulldowns and lower-back strength

Published October 29, 2026

The best back exercises for seniors are rows and pulldowns for the upper back, such as the chest-supported row, seated cable row, lat pulldown and one-arm dumbbell row; face pulls, band pull-aparts and rear delt flies for the muscles that pull your shoulders back; and the superman, glute bridge, kettlebell deadlift and side plank for the lower back and hips. Do two rows or pulldowns and two lower-back exercises twice a week, 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 15 reps, ending each set with 2 or 3 reps left.

  1. Chest-Supported Row Upper Back, Lats
  2. Lat Pulldown Lats
  3. Band Pull-Apart Shoulders, Upper Back
  4. Superman Lower Back
  5. One-Arm Dumbbell Row Lats, Upper Back
  6. Dumbbell Glute Bridge Glutes
  7. Face Pull Shoulders, Upper Back
  8. Kettlebell Deadlift Glutes, Hamstrings, Lower Back

Rows and pulldowns for the upper back

These are the big back builders. Rows pull toward your stomach and train the middle of the back; the pulldown pulls from overhead and trains the lats down your sides. Pick at least one of each kind if you have access to a gym.

Lats, vertical pull

Lat Pulldown

Lats

A pulldown works the pull-up muscles, but you set the load on a pin. For most older adults it is the only realistic way to train reaching up and pulling down with a real load.

How to do it

  1. Set the thigh pad so your legs are locked under it, then stand up and take the bar a little wider than your shoulders, palms forward.
  2. Sit down with your arms fully stretched overhead and lean back only slightly.
  3. Pull the bar to your upper chest by driving your elbows down toward your hips.
  4. Let the bar rise until your arms are straight and your shoulders lift toward your ears, then pull again.

Cues

  • Elbows to your back pockets
  • Bar to the top of the chest
  • Let the stack lift you at the top

Common mistakes

  • Leaning far back and rowing the bar to your stomach: stay nearly upright so it remains a vertical pull.
  • Stopping with the arms still bent at the top: the stretch overhead is half of what makes the pulldown work.

Swap for: Assisted Pull-Up, Neutral-Grip Lat Pulldown, Band Bent-Over Row

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Middle back, row

Seated Cable Row

Upper Back, Lats

Sitting with your feet braced and rowing a handle to your stomach works the middle back, the muscles that hold your shoulders back. The weight stack goes up in small, even steps.

How to do it

  1. Sit at the cable row with your feet on the platform and knees slightly bent, holding a close-grip handle with your arms straight.
  2. Sit tall with your chest up and let the cable pull your shoulder blades forward a little.
  3. Row the handle to your lower ribs, driving your elbows back past your torso.
  4. Return it under control until your arms are straight and your shoulders reach forward, then repeat.

Cues

  • Sit tall, no rocking
  • Handle to the belly button
  • Shoulders reach at the front

Common mistakes

  • Rocking back and forth to move the stack: your torso should stay close to upright throughout.
  • Shrugging the handle up toward your neck: pull your shoulders down before the elbows bend.

Swap for: Chest-Supported Row, Single-Arm Cable Row, Barbell Row

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Upper back, supported row

Chest-Supported Row

Upper Back, Lats

With your chest on a pad, nothing loads your lower back while you row. It is the first choice for anyone whose back gets sore when bending forward.

How to do it

  1. Set the seat so the handles are at chest height and rest your chest on the pad.
  2. Pull the handles back until your elbows pass your torso.
  3. Let the handles return until your arms are straight and your shoulders reach forward.

Cues

  • Chest stays on the pad
  • Squeeze, then reach

Common mistakes

  • Lifting your chest off the pad to move more weight: the pad is there so your back can rest.

Swap for: Machine Row, Seated Cable Row, Incline Dumbbell Row

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Lats and upper back, dumbbell row

One-Arm Dumbbell Row

Lats, Upper Back

One hand and knee on a bench support your spine while the other arm rows. It is the main back exercise at home and lets each side work on its own.

How to do it

  1. Put one hand and the same-side knee on a bench, or your hand on a chair seat with both feet on the floor, so your back is flat.
  2. Hold a dumbbell in the other hand with your arm hanging straight.
  3. Pull your elbow back toward your hip until the dumbbell reaches your ribs.
  4. Lower it until your arm is straight again, finish all reps, then switch sides.

Cues

  • Elbow to your hip
  • Back flat as a table
  • Full stretch at the bottom

Common mistakes

  • Twisting your chest open to lift the dumbbell higher: keep both shoulders level.
  • Shrugging the shoulder up toward your ear: pull the elbow back, not the shoulder up.

Swap for: Band Bent-Over Row, Dumbbell Bent-Over Row, Seated Cable Row

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Upper back, band row

Band Bent-Over Row

Lats, Upper Back

Standing on a band and rowing the handles to your ribs trains the back with no weights at all. Hinge only as far forward as feels comfortable.

How to do it

  1. Stand on the middle of a band, hold an end in each hand, and hinge forward with a flat back.
  2. Row your hands to your lower ribs with the elbows tucked near your body.
  3. Straighten the arms slowly and keep the hinge.

Cues

  • Elbows to your hips
  • Hold the hinge

Common mistakes

  • Standing up as you row: keep the same torso angle every rep.

Swap for: Dumbbell Bent-Over Row, Inverted Row, Seated Cable Row

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Posture: pulling the shoulders back

Years of sitting, driving and reading round the shoulders forward. The small muscles between and behind the shoulder blades pull them back, and these three exercises work them with light weights and high reps.

Rear shoulders and upper back, cable

Face Pull

Shoulders, Upper Back

Pulling a rope toward your face with the elbows high trains the muscles that draw the shoulders back and turn the arms out. It suits anyone who has developed a forward head and rounded shoulders.

How to do it

  1. Set the pulley at or just above head height and attach a rope. Grab it with your thumbs pointing back toward you.
  2. Step back until your arms are straight and the stack lifts, then stagger your feet or sit on a bench so you can lean back slightly without swaying.
  3. Pull the middle of the rope toward your forehead by driving your elbows out and back, keeping them at shoulder height or higher.
  4. As the rope reaches your face, pull the ends apart and rotate your hands back until your fists sit beside your ears, like a double-biceps pose.
  5. Hold that position for a beat, then let your arms straighten under control until your shoulder blades slide forward again.

Cues

  • Elbows high, hands finish behind them
  • Pull the rope apart, not just back
  • Reach forward at the start of every rep

Common mistakes

  • Loading it like a row and leaning back to move the stack: drop the weight until you can hold the end position for a second without your torso rocking.
  • Letting the elbows drop below your shoulders: the pull turns into a row and your lats and biceps take the work. Raise the pulley or lighten the load.
  • Stopping when the rope touches your face: the outward rotation at the end is what the face pull adds, so finish with your fists beside your ears.

Swap for: Band Face Pull, Dumbbell Rear Delt Fly

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Upper back, band

Band Pull-Apart

Shoulders, Upper Back

Pulling a light band apart across your chest takes 30 seconds and can be done seated or standing, anywhere. It is the easiest posture exercise to do often.

How to do it

  1. Hold a light band at shoulder height with straight arms and hands about shoulder width.
  2. Pull your hands apart until the band touches your chest.
  3. Let the band bring your hands back slowly.

Cues

  • Squeeze the shoulder blades together at the end.
  • Keep your ribs down.

Common mistakes

  • Bending the elbows to make it easier.

Swap for: Band Face Pull, Band Scapular Retraction

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Rear shoulders, seated fly

Dumbbell Rear Delt Fly

Shoulders

Folding forward on a bench and raising light dumbbells out to the sides works the back of the shoulders while your chest rests near your knees. Two to five pounds is enough.

How to do it

  1. Sit on the end of a bench, feet together and planted, with a light dumbbell in each hand.
  2. Fold forward from the hips until your chest nearly touches your knees, and let the weights hang below your legs, palms turned in.
  3. Bend your elbows a little and lock that angle in for the whole set.
  4. Open your arms out and up in a wide arc, elbows leading, and stop when your upper arms line up with your back.
  5. Pause for a beat at the top, then take two to three seconds to bring them back down until your arms hang straight again.

Cues

  • Arms wide, like spreading wings
  • Reach for the walls, not the ceiling
  • Chest stays on your knees

Common mistakes

  • Sitting up as the weights rise: if your chest leaves your knees to finish the rep, drop to lighter dumbbells and stop where your upper arms reach your back.
  • Turning the fly into a row: if your elbows bend more and drift toward your ribs, your lats take over; keep the same small elbow bend from the first rep to the last.
  • Shrugging your shoulders toward your ears at the top: keep your neck long and think about reaching your hands toward the walls rather than the ceiling.

Swap for: Band Rear Delt Fly, Reverse Pec Deck

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Lower back and hips

The lower back works with the glutes and trunk muscles, not alone. Train it by holding your spine still while your hips move, or by lifting it gently against gravity.

Lower back, extension

Superman

Lower Back

The superman lifts your chest and legs a few inches from the floor, working the muscles that hold you upright. Lift only a little at first, or lift just the arms or just the legs.

How to do it

  1. Lie face down with your arms stretched overhead and legs straight.
  2. Raise arms, chest and legs a few inches off the floor together.
  3. Hold for a second, then lower everything together.

Cues

  • Long, not high
  • Eyes on the floor

Common mistakes

  • Cranking the head back to lift higher: keep your neck in line with your spine.

Swap for: Back Extension, Exercise Ball Back Extension, Band Good Morning

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Glutes, hamstrings and lower back, hinge

Kettlebell Deadlift

Glutes, Hamstrings, Lower Back

Lowering one kettlebell beside your leg and standing back up practices lifting a bag from the floor with a flat back and bent hips. The weight stays close to your body, so you can start light and add a few pounds at a time.

How to do it

  1. Stand with your feet about hip-width apart, the bell in one hand at your side and that arm straight.
  2. Push your hips back and bend your knees a little, letting the bell travel down beside your leg until it nearly reaches the floor, back flat.
  3. Keep your shoulders level and your chest facing forward as the bell lowers.
  4. Stand up by driving through your feet and squeezing your glutes. Finish the set, then switch hands. With two bells, hold one at each side.

Cues

  • Hips back, chest up
  • Bell close to your leg
  • Stand tall at the top

Common mistakes

  • Squatting straight down so the knees do all the work: lead with the hips.
  • Letting your back round to reach lower: stop the bell where your back is still flat.

Swap for: Kettlebell Good Morning, Kettlebell Swing, Kettlebell Row

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Glutes and lower back, bridge

Dumbbell Glute Bridge

Glutes

Your glutes do most of the work when you stand up from a chair, lift or climb stairs. The bridge trains them lying down, with your back supported on the floor.

How to do it

  1. Lie face up, knees bent, heels about a foot from your hips.
  2. Place a dumbbell across your hips and hold the ends.
  3. Press through your heels and lift your hips until your body makes a straight line from knees to shoulders.
  4. Hold the squeeze for a second at the top, lower until your glutes lightly reach the floor, and repeat.

Cues

  • Heels, not toes
  • Squeeze before you lower
  • Short range, hard squeeze

Common mistakes

  • Pushing off the toes so the thighs burn instead of the glutes: lift your toes slightly if it helps you feel the heels.
  • Bouncing off the floor between reps: let the hips touch down and pause.

Swap for: Dumbbell Hip Thrust, Single-Leg Glute Bridge, Dumbbell Staggered Hip Thrust

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Obliques and back, side hold

Side Plank

Abs

The side plank works the trunk muscles along your side and lower back that keep your spine steady while you walk and carry. Do it from the knees until 30 seconds is easy.

How to do it

  1. Lie on one side with your elbow under your shoulder and your legs stacked.
  2. Lift your hips until your body is straight from head to feet.
  3. Hold, then switch sides.

Cues

  • Hips high
  • Stacked feet
  • Elbow under shoulder

Common mistakes

  • Letting the hips drop toward the floor as the hold goes on.
  • Rolling the chest forward or back.

Swap for: Dumbbell Side Plank, Copenhagen Plank

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Put them together: example sessions

Each session below picks from the exercises above for one situation, with the sets, reps, rest and RIR filled in.

Session 1

Rounded upper back, training at home

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets24 a week
  • Per workout~25 min
  • EquipmentDumbbells, Resistance Bands

You train at home with dumbbells and a band, and your main goal is to stand and sit taller.

The upper back gets 8 sets per session from rows, pull-aparts and rear delt flies, and the lower back and hips get 4 more, for 24 working sets a week. High reps with light weights suit the small posture muscles.

Back at home
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
One-Arm Dumbbell Row1 warm-up set firstPer arm. 3 × 8–12 2 75 s
Band Pull-Apart 3 × 12–20 2 1 min
Dumbbell Rear Delt Fly 2 × 12–15 2 1 min
SupermanHold 1 second at the top. 2 × 8–12 3 1 min
Dumbbell Glute Bridge 2 × 10–15 2 1 min
How to run it
Do it twice a week with at least a day between. Do a set of band pull-aparts on other days too if you sit a lot; they take a minute.
How to progress
Add reps until each set reaches the top of the range with 2 reps in reserve, then move to the next dumbbell or a stronger band. For the superman, add a 2-second hold at the top before adding reps.
Open in the session builder

Session 2

Gym with machines and cables

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets26 a week
  • Per workout~35 min
  • EquipmentKettlebells, Lat Pulldown, Cable Row, Adjustable Cable

You train at a gym and want a stronger back for lifting, carrying and posture.

Machines let you train the upper back close to your limit: 6 sets from the pulldown and row, 2 from face pulls, plus 5 for the lower back and trunk, 13 per session and 26 a week. Stopping every set with 2 or 3 reps left keeps that volume easy to recover from between sessions.

Back at the gym
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Kettlebell Deadlift2 warm-up sets firstPer side. 3 × 8–10 3 2 min
Lat Pulldown 3 × 8–12 2 90 s
Seated Cable Row 3 × 8–12 2 90 s
Face Pull 2 × 12–15 2 1 min
Side PlankSeconds per side. 2 × 15–30 2 1 min
How to run it
Run it twice a week, either alone or alongside your leg and chest work. Do the kettlebell deadlift first while you are fresh.
How to progress
Add a rep each session until every set reaches the top of the range with 2 reps left, then move one plate on the stack. For the kettlebell deadlift, move up 4 to 8 pounds at a time.
Open in the session builder

Session 3

Lower back gets sore

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets18 a week
  • Per workout~20 min
  • EquipmentSeated Row Machine, Dumbbells

Bending forward or lifting leaves your lower back achy, and you want to strengthen it without making it worse.

No exercise here loads your spine while you bend: the row is chest-supported, the bridge and superman are done lying down, and the side plank holds still. Four exercises, 9 sets a session at 3 reps in reserve, twice a week, is a cautious but real dose.

Back-friendly
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Chest-Supported Row 3 × 10–12 3 75 s
Dumbbell Glute BridgeBodyweight to start. 2 × 10–15 3 1 min
SupermanSmall lift. Arms only or legs only if needed. 2 × 6–10 3 1 min
Side PlankSeconds per side. Knees down. 2 × 10–30 3 1 min
How to run it
Do it twice a week. Walk for 5 to 10 minutes first; most backs feel better warm. Skip any exercise that makes your back hurt more and continue with the rest.
How to progress
Add reps or seconds first. When the superman feels easy for 12 reps with a 2-second hold, and the side plank for 30 seconds, move on to the gym plan or add the kettlebell deadlift with a light bell.
Open in the session builder

Make it fit you

Questions

What are the best back exercises for seniors?

A row, such as the chest-supported or one-arm dumbbell row, plus a lower-back exercise such as the superman or bridge. Add band pull-aparts if posture is your main concern.

Can back exercises help elderly back pain?

Strengthening the back, hips and trunk is part of most programs for ongoing back pain. Start with the sore-back plan, which avoids bending under load, and move on as your back tolerates more.

What exercises help a stiff spine?

Gentle movement through a comfortable range helps most, and the superman, bridge and rows all move the spine and hips under light load. If you also stretch, cat-cow and knee-to-chest fit on the same days, after the strength work.

How do seniors improve posture?

Strengthen the muscles that pull your shoulders back with rows, face pulls and pull-aparts, and strengthen the lower back and glutes that hold you upright. Two sessions a week, with the weights creeping up, is enough to get those muscles stronger.

How often should seniors do back exercises?

Twice a week for the full sessions, and short sets of band pull-aparts on other days if you like. The back recovers quickly at these effort levels.